New assessment change notices are being mailed to Ogden Township property owners after township officials objected to an instruction for appointments to appeal assessments at board of review meetings.

“They felt strongly about it,” said Lenawee County Administrator Martin Marshall. Notices sent a week ago by the county equalization department stated the board of review would meet with property owners “by appointment only.” The wording puts the township at risk of being in violation of the Open Meetings Act, township supervisor Richard Marks stated in an email to Marshall.

At a special meeting Thursday night with the Ogden Township Board, Marshall agreed to mail new notices with no reference to appointments. There was confusion over what township officials wanted when the issue was discussed in December, he said.

Wording on the Ogden Township notices was identical to notices used for years in all other townships that contract with the equalization department for assessing, he said. Appointments avoid having crowds of people waiting for a turn with the board of review, he said.